UK Publicans refuse entry to Labour MPs in tax protest

United Kingdom | Labour MPs are banned from over 1000 pubs as publicans stage a nationwide protest against Chancellor Rachel Reeves' tax hikes, announced in her autumn budget (26 November). The much publicised protest began in December and has since been joined by hairdressers. However, the conservative newspaper, The Telegraph, which is certainly no friend of the Labour government, criticised the ban as “childish”. The Spectator, a conservative weekly, added that it “frays our social bonds”.

Beer wars in Luxembourg: EU Commission enforces competition among wholesalers

Luxembourg | The arrival of a new distributor to supply bars and restaurants – under the watchful eye of an EU-appointed monitor – could loosen the grip that Luxembourg’s two brewers have long held over beer prices.

No shortage of Guinness as strike action is suspended

United Kingdom | A not-so-merry season: In December 2024, Guinness stout faced a shortage in the UK due to “exceptional consumer demand”. This year, it was feared that strike action at Diageo’s Northern Ireland bottling plant would cause supply issues for Guinness Zero over the holiday period again – something Diageo vigorously denied.

AB-InBev Germany without a country director

Germany | Bremen’s revolving doors are spinning again. Jannik Weitzl will resign from his post as Country Director Germany on 31 December. The 38-year-old manager had only succeeded Michel Pepa in April 2024, when Mr Pepa was transferred within the group to Leuven. Mr Pepa had held the post for slightly more than four years. It is still unclear who will succeed Mr Weitzl.

Franconia and Belgium – united by beer

Belgium | Brewers from Franconia, a region in the north of Bavaria, and fellow brewers from Belgium have sealed a new partnership and will collaborate on a beer. At the end of November, representatives from five Franconian breweries visited their Belgian colleagues and laid the foundation for a special partnership. Next year, punters will be able to taste their first collab beer at the beer festival in Nuremberg.

Austria | For the first time, Brau Union seems willing to enter into settlement talks in the pending proceedings. A legal representative for Brau Union, Heineken’s fully-owned Austrian subsidiary, said in court on 1 December that the firm wants to “approach the Federal Competition Authority (BWB) and take stock of the situation.” Then a decision could be made as to whether there was a way to reach a “mutually acceptable agreement”. A BWB representative replied that the request will be “discussed internally”. 

Keystone Brewing Group prepares to appoint administrators

United Kingdom | Keystone Brewing Group, formed in 2024 after private investment group Breal had acquired several distressed craft breweries out of or on the verge of administration, has problems of its own now: It filed a notice of intent to appoint administrators on 28 November, the trade publication The Grocer reported. Separately, Black Sheep Brewing Company and PBC Brewing (Purity) have also filed their own notices of intent.

Heineken sells brewery in war-hit eastern Congo

The Netherlands | With more than 100 armed groups fighting Congolese forces in the mineral-rich eastern DR of Congo, Heineken has done the only sensible thing and transferred its brewery in Bukavu, the second largest city in eastern Congo, to a Mauritia-registered company for a token 1 EUR. 

Carlsberg explores sale of minority stake in Asia unit

Denmark | Carlsberg is considering selling a minority stake in its Asian operations, with Sapporo Holdings identified as a leading contender to acquire the interest, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.  

Molson Coors to close Cork’s Franciscan Well brewery in the new year

Ireland | More bad news from Molson Coors: The long-standing Cork brewery behind some of the city’s best-known local brands has announced (17 November) it will cease production after Christmas. The closure will impact 15 staff members.